George Washington : (The American Presidents Series)

Rating:
Summary: pettty, immature academic view of Washington
Review: Burns and Dunn seem to think ambition is a dirty word, and that one can't have ambitious goals for oneself combined with modesty. Perhaps they've never known modest, hard-driving and successful men - that is, people with outstanding abilities who want to realize their potential and yet are innately modest. So we get the historian picking on Washington, exposing him for a hypocrite, instead of informing us on what contributed to Washington's outstanding leadership and moral qualities. very disappointing. I quit reading after chapter 3.

Rating:
Summary: History and biography at its best
Review: I admit I am a sucker for history, and especially American History and biographies. In the last few years there have been a plethora of books about our founding fathers, and Professor Burns and Dunn's work is right up there with the best. If there is a flaw it lies in the brevity. But the writing is sharp, almost like a well developed college lecture series, and though I have read longer, more detailed biographies of Washington, this was the most entertaining and easy to digest. I also highly recommend Professor Burns previous books on Franklin Roosevelt if you have a mind to immerse yourself in a very thorough history of a very troubled time and a very heroic, and human statesman.

Rating:
Summary: tedious and repetitive
Review: I found the George Washington book by Burns and Dunn to be tedious and repetitive. The first part of the book was interesting and covered the subject in an interesting and readable way; I'm surprised that the last few chapters made it into a book in this series. It was a struggle to finish it (I typically read more than 150 books a year without this problem).

I feel that the writers were writing more for their own edification than to inform their readers. I you happen to pick up a copy read page 143 as a "readability" test. I am very surprised that the editors allowed this book to be published with the problems that I perceive.

I've enjoyed other books that I've read in the "The American Presidents Series"; don't let this review influence you on the whole series


Rating:
Summary: pettty, immature academic view of Washington
Review: I too am surprised that this series of short works on the American Presidents is getting what seems to me to be too little attention. While not every book in the series is of the same quality, several, and in particular this one on Washington, are gems. Not a general biography, this is an analysis of Washington's presidency and what we get of his early life is here only to further that analysis. Despite this relatively narrow focus, it is a book all who want to understand our political system as it exists today should read. Dense but very well written, I give it four stars only because I leave five for the greatest works of English literature and we aren't offered four and a half. Nevertheless, I recommend it highly.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent introduction of Washington as President
Review: I too am surprised that this series of short works on the American Presidents is getting what seems to me to be too little attention. While not every book in the series is of the same quality, several, and in particular this one on Washington, are gems. Not a general biography, this is an analysis of Washington's presidency and what we get of his early life is here only to further that analysis. Despite this relatively narrow focus, it is a book all who want to understand our political system as it exists today should read. Dense but very well written, I give it four stars only because I leave five for the greatest works of English literature and we aren't offered four and a half. Nevertheless, I recommend it highly.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Beginning To Learn About Our 1st President
Review: This book, along with the others in the series, is a short biography of George Washington. There are plenty of other book about him that deal much more in depth, but this book makes for a good beginning.

He was a man of tremendous ambition that was concerned with climbing the social ladder. Indeed, he was one of the richest men in Virginia at the time. But the fact remains that after the end of the Revolutionary War he resigned his commison and went back to his Mount Vernon farm. Instead of taking advantage of his tremendous popularity at a time when he could have easily grabbed a lot of power from the young nation, he wished nothing more than to become a country farmer. That fact tells volumes about his character. How many men would have not taken advantage of the situation?

Not to put him on a pedestal, or portray him as a saint, this book tells of his ambition, his concern with climbing further into the social strata, and also tells of his love for the new-founded country. He was a great man, and totally human.

A good short introduction to George Washgington, and another great volume in the series!

Rating:
Summary: First rate book, about the country's First Citizen
Review: This is one of the latest of the American Presidents Series of short biographies, presented by Arthur Shelesinger, Jr. I remain puzzled by the lack of strong public interest in these books while lengthier tomes make the best sellers lists. Regardless, I find these books to be an excellent complimentary resource that allow a reader to learn much more about presidents for whose name may have only have been memorized for a middle school civics class.

Much has been written about Washington in the past, and he seems to be enjoying a resurgence of interest. Some of these biographies are more hagiographic than the last, while others are critical especially of his contrary views on slavery.

The authors of this book, Burns & Dunn, choose to try and focus on Washington's character, and philosophy, instead of chronicling each aspect of his life. They discuss his military career up to the revolution and give short mention of his generalship. But, what they miss in the revolution, they expound on in his post-war career as the president of the Constitutional convention, and as President.

They provide beliefs of his that are relevant in today's executive branch, but more as an example of his judgments that were not followed. For example, "In all situations, including emergencies, Washington demanded calm examination and `a deliberate plan.' No action, he repeated to the secretary of war, should be undertaken without absolutely reliable facts and information." (pp. 63-64). Also, Washington the southerner, not Lincoln the northerner, set the precedent for taking armed action against internal insurrection without the specific approval of the Constitution. This is an historical fact that is ignored by too many of the current population.

Washington failed to live up to his famous maxims in many situations, as the book makes note, including short changing his former troops in the Ohio territory. But, what he did accomplish in defining the role of the chief executive officer is a legacy that is too much taken for granted when rating the great former presidents. This book only shows that character is a difficult judgment to make. It's like trying to define beauty or love. I was taught that there was only one perfect person in this world's history, and he was crucified.

Rating:
Summary: First rate book, about the country's First Citizen
Review: This is one of the latest of the American Presidents Series of short biographies, presented by Arthur Shelesinger, Jr. I remain puzzled by the lack of strong public interest in these books while lengthier tomes make the best sellers lists. Regardless, I find these books to be an excellent complimentary resource that allow a reader to learn much more about presidents for whose name may have only have been memorized for a middle school civics class.

Much has been written about Washington in the past, and he seems to be enjoying a resurgence of interest. Some of these biographies are more hagiographic than the last, while others are critical especially of his contrary views on slavery.

The authors of this book, Burns & Dunn, choose to try and focus on Washington's character, and philosophy, instead of chronicling each aspect of his life. They discuss his military career up to the revolution and give short mention of his generalship. But, what they miss in the revolution, they expound on in his post-war career as the president of the Constitutional convention, and as President.

They provide beliefs of his that are relevant in today's executive branch, but more as an example of his judgments that were not followed. For example, "In all situations, including emergencies, Washington demanded calm examination and 'a deliberate plan.' No action, he repeated to the secretary of war, should be undertaken without absolutely reliable facts and information." (pp. 63-64). Also, Washington the southerner, not Lincoln the northerner, set the precedent for taking armed action against internal insurrection without the specific approval of the Constitution. This is an historical fact that is ignored by too many of the current population.

Washington failed to live up to his famous maxims in many situations, as the book makes note, including short changing his former troops in the Ohio territory. But, what he did accomplish in defining the role of the chief executive officer is a legacy that is too much taken for granted when rating the great former presidents. This book only shows that character is a difficult judgment to make. It's like trying to define beauty or love. I was taught that there was only one perfect person in this world's history, and he was crucified.